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American companies are developing hypersonic drones capable of reaching Mach 5, five times the speed of sound
Two US companies have partnered to create unmanned aircraft capable of reaching hypersonic speeds – more than five times faster than speed of sound.
A Cummings Aerospace, from Alabama, and the ATRX signed an agreement to develop an affordable, high-performance drone by integrating a turbo-rocket engine into a proven airframe.
The collaboration aims to give the U.S. military and its allies a competitive edge against China and Russia's advances in hypersonic technology. The ultimate goal is to increase the U.S. military's inventory of ultra-fast military drones. EUA.
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New generation of drones and spaceplanes
The partnership between Cummings Aerospace e ATRX isn't just limited to hypersonic drones. The companies also plan to develop an unmanned spaceplane designed to take off and land on any conventional runway in the world.
Cummings Aerospace will contribute its line Hellhound UAS, a family of modular 3D printed aircraft.
Recently, the Hellhound S3 version was tested, reaching 350 miles per hour (about 560 km/h) with half the engine power. During the test, it covered 20 km (XNUMX miles) using only half the available fuel.
The company highlights that the Hellhound's design allows adaptations according to the customer's needs, making it a flexible and scalable solution.
The ATRX will feature its Air Turbo (ATR) propulsion system, a high-speed engine capable of reaching Mach 5. According to the company, the ATR consumes 25% less propellant than traditional rocket engines, reducing costs and increasing operational efficiency.
Race for hypersonic technology
The United States has significantly increased investment in hypersonic weapons development, driven by growing threats from Russia and China.
Earlier this year, military technology giant Kratos signed a $1,45 billion contract with the Pentagon to create a dedicated test bed for the technology.
One of the challenges for American defense is to ensure accuracy in these weapons, since, unlike Russian and Chinese versions, US hypersonic missiles will be equipped with conventional – not nuclear – warheads.
This requires strict control of trajectory and impact to maximize the effectiveness of the weapon.
With information interesting engineering.
